A Small Gabled Roof Over the Well
The Murakami Family Residence Well House (村上家住宅井戸屋形, Murakami-ke Jūtaku Idoyakata) is a late Edo period (1830–1867) roofed shelter over a well in Imazu-cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, registered together with the well itself as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 10 September 2010 under registration number 34-0100.
It stands on the north side of the estate, east of the rice storehouse. At 2.7 metres by 1.4 metres, with a footprint of 3.8 square metres, it is the smallest of the eight registered structures. The roof is gabled and laid with pantiles. Fukuyama City's heritage portal gives the area as 31 square metres, which cannot be squared with those dimensions, so the national register's 3.8 square metres is followed here.
Why It Was Registered
The frame of the Murakami Family Residence Well House is simple and sensible. Square posts stand on dressed stones, tie beams (nuki) pass through them to stiffen the frame, and a beam and purlins across the top carry the roof. The eaves use a single row of widely spaced rafters (Taruki), a light and economical finish.
The well sits at the centre, its curb built from convex-cut blocks of granite fitted together. Around it runs a stone-paved washing area, so drawing water and doing the washing happened in one place.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs values the Murakami Family Residence Well House as a glimpse of everyday living space in the early modern era. It is not a showpiece like the main house, but intact domestic water facilities of this kind are rarely preserved.
What to Look For
Look first at the granite curb of the Murakami Family Residence Well House. Stone lasts where a timber well frame would rot, and the choice shows a household willing to spend on stone even for its water supply.
Notice too that the posts stand on stones rather than directly on the ground. At a wellhead, where everything gets wet, lifting the timber clear of the soil keeps the foot of each post from decaying.
Visiting
The Murakami Family Residence Well House stands inside a private residence, east of the rice storehouse, and is not open to the public. As of September 2026 there were no announced visit arrangements. It is a small structure deep within the compound and cannot readily be seen from outside. The Murakami Family Residence page covers the estate layout and directions.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hiroshima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Murakami Family Residence Well House
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Q&A
- Can you visit the Murakami Family Residence Well House?
- It is inside a private residence and not open to the public. As of September 2026 there were no announced visit arrangements.
- When was the Murakami Family Residence Well House built?
- The national register dates it to the late Edo period (1830–1867).
- How big is the Murakami Family Residence Well House?
- It measures 2.7 metres by 1.4 metres, with an area of 3.8 square metres. A Fukuyama City source gives 31 square metres, which does not fit those dimensions.
- What is the well at the Murakami Family Residence Well House like?
- The well is at the centre with a curb of convex granite blocks, surrounded by a stone-paved washing area.
- Why was the Murakami Family Residence Well House registered?
- As a surviving piece of early modern domestic life, registered on 10 September 2010 together with the other seven structures of the estate.
Basic Information
| Name | Murakami Family Residence Well House (村上家住宅井戸屋形) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1929 Naganami, Imazu-cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building), registration no. 34-0100 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2010/9/10 (Heisei 22) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, tiled roof, building area 3.8 square metres (2.7 metres by 1.4 metres), with well |
| Owner | Not listed (Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Private residence; not open, no public opening announced |
References
- National Database of Designated Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Murakami Family Residence Well House
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008372
- Fukuyama Cultural Properties Navi (Fukuyama City): Murakami Family Residence Main House and seven others
- https://fukubun.net/ja/collection/692
Last verified: 2026.09.24
